Owners of 2 Fresno Co. collectives face pot charges

The father-and-son owners of two local marijuana collectives were indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury sitting in Fresno.

Mark Bagdasarian, 53, and Ryan Bagdasarian, 24, both of Clovis, were charged in a four-count indictment with conspiring to cultivate and distribute marijuana and possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it. Mark Bagdasarian also was charged with cultivating marijuana.

According to court documents, between April 2010 and this month, the Bagdasarians conspired to distribute marijuana through Buds 4 Life, located at 3705 N. Clovis Ave. in Tarpey Village, and Buds 4 Life North at 16906 N. Friant Road in Friant.

Federal officials allege that in June, the Bagdasarians' stores were searched and law enforcement officers found 3,669 marijuana plants, 219 pounds of processed marijuana, and more than $546,000 in cash. One defendant said that the business was generating $30,000 to $50,000 per day in revenue.

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In August 2011, they reopened a store. A more recent search yielded another 35 pounds of processed marijuana and $40,000 in cash.

The two Buds 4 Life collectives were among five dispensaries raided June 1 under state warrants and alleged to be profiting from marijuana sales, which law-enforcement authorities said is illegal under state law.

Two two men are scheduled to be arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Fresno. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine.